Tuesday, October 11, 2016

A FEW, INTERESTING, BUSY AND BLESSED WEEKS…

It
started out weird. Heading to work, the horns where blowing, the people pulling
out in front of you was at an all-time high, those who drive to fast seemed to
be everywhere, those who are impatient at others like myself are just trying to
maneuver without hitting something. I wondered if this was what my whole
Tuesday was going to be like. THEN… I exited the parking garage at my apartment
and things were much calmer. A bit of humor to start this blog with.

We were in our first week since we enjoyed a powerful and challenging
conference charging us to be a Disciple making Church. God continues to present
Himself to me, as Pastor, to lead EBCI into a greater place. I admit, I do not
know exactly what that place looks like but I want to be there. I want to have
the faith to step outside the box I am comfortable in and BE more for Jesus as
I conform to BE more like Jesus. I know there is more for us and I want you to
join me as we discover more of God and less of us. May He increase and we
decrease.

God did something. Something that began many weeks before the conference
started. Something which God planted decades ago in the early days of my
ministry. God used this conference to not only remind me of that seed planted
but that the opportunity to see that seed sprout… blossom and bloom… creating
more seeds for others.

Reality – As
I get older and see that I am closer to the end of life here than my
beginnings, I understand more fully the need to fight the good fight of faith.
The need to not fit into culture but to win the people of this modern culture
to the unchanging Lord Jesus.

Family –
We are at a point in our life as a church where we need to Thank God for the
blessings HE has given and the reality that He has made EBCI a great church. We
also need to seek God for His guiding hand to build upon what He has built to
make EBCI an even greater church.

Opportunity
– I need your prayers as I wrestle with what is of God and what is not when it
comes to the next step in being a transformational church, which is in the process
of being transformed. As I was working on the message for Friday, Matt said something…
that caused me to check out something… which led me to listen to something… which
will be shared Friday. This “thing” Is like the cherry on top of the sundae,
icing on the cake (I’ll stop there with the metaphors, its making me hungry).

Testimony –
When anyone begins to focus on their health and lose weight, they go through different
feelings. Victory – weight loss. Defeat – no weight loss or even
weight gain. Stagnation – that point where you plateau and it’s hard to be
motivated. You know you must press on… Have the stamina… Not give up… The end goal
is worth the internal conflict and battle. As a believer, we also find that our
success is in being obedient to Jesus. The results of our obedience are in His
hands, not ours. When we take control, we mess up. When we surrender, and
follow Him, we find the success which honors Him.

Let’s get together on the same plan (the biblical one) and
get excited about being a Disciple making church. I am ready… Are you?